Fountain pen with protractable and retractable point



Patented Aug. 5, 1952 f UNITED. sfrrrl=-zsl lPATENT foFFlcE FoUN'rAIN PENWITH PRoTRAoTABLEl-AND .RETRACTABLE POINT.

Karl-Weisser, Cresskill, and David Kahn, Engle- Wood, N. J., rassignorsl to David Kahn, Inc., North Bergen.' N. J., a corporation of'New'Jersey *This invention Arelates to writ-ing instruments *and `more especially to fountain pensprovided withla ball writing point. One important object of the present invention is to -provide simpleand 'eiicient means for protracting and retracting the writing point of a pen of the character-set forth.

A'further object of the present inventionfis to provide a cap member which is fitted -on the upper' end of the barrel, said cap having an open upperrend through which an upper sleeve member is slidable, said upper sleeve member having va closed upper end to which pressure may be applied, as by the thumb of the hand, to bring "the writing point into a protracted writing position.

'Another object of the present invention is to provide unique latching means in connection -With the structure herein set forth for holding the "writing point in a protracted position, said latch- "ing means lbeing operative `upon the tilting of .the `vbarrel, and inoperative upon the barrel being heldin avertical position. l

Fig. 1 is an `axial section'through the fountain pen, the writing vpoint `being shownin the retracted position; y

Fig. 2 isan axial section at right angles to the section shown in Fig. 1 buts'howing the writing point in a protracted position; and Fig, 3 is a perspective view of the pawl.

'As shown in the drawing, the metal'connector or bushing 2| is kpress-fitted into the shell or Abarrel which is preferably a metallic barrel.

ATheloushing 22 is resembled with the sleeve 3|, "said-bushing' being tightly press-fitted into the Vcap 30. The upper sleeve portion 3| is provided Y'with opposed longitudinal slots wherethrough eX- Atends -a pin' 26, said pin being Xed at its ends in "-'the lbushing'l22. The 'sleeve portion 3 f which vex tends voutwardly beyond the end of the cap-30 is 4"provided with -an inwardly extending rib Z1 -preferably annular'in form. `Mounted on the -pin is "an unbalanced pawl provided with segmenta'lvlyshaped lugs orears 29. The unit comprising the bushing 22, the sleeve 3| with its interior rib 27, the -pin' 26, and the pawl 28 is assembled within the cap by inserting the end 3| a of the upper sleeve 3| into the lower and wider open end of A.thefcap 30 and the bushing is tightlypress-tted into the upper end of the cap; the latter being tapered as shown.

The bushing 22 is held firmly Yin the interior oi' the cap 30 but the uppersleeve 3| is-slidably mounted interiorly -of the cap 30 and through the #open end thereof Yand the upper end of theU sleeve isalways in a'protruded position as shown in "-Figs. 1 and 2. The upper sleeve 3| on actuation moves'the vlower sleeve member or collar |211 and brings the pen writing point into a protracted writingpoint position. The bushing 22 is interiorly threaded for engagement with the in- .terior vthreads on they connector bushing?! the latter being provided with complementary in- Application January zo, 194s, semina.' 3,244

.2V claims. (el. 120g-42.03)

terior threads. The bushing ZZcarryingZthe-upper sleeve 3| isupress-fitted jinteriorly"ofthe'cap V3|). The cap with this unit isy assembled'on'v-the 3l is provided with an vinwardly lextendingrib'l preferably annular in form.

On the' pin '26 is mounted a pawl V28A preferably formed from a piece of sheet `metal'andihaving its upper ends cut and bentto form 'oppQSe'd segmentally-spaced'portions 29 which i'lt loosely withinthe [sleeve 3| but which limits theItra-nsverse stroke ofV the .pawl on the pin. These ,Segmentally-shaped lugs 29 form means for limiting the transverse stroke of the pawl onjits supporting pin. .If the pawl'were permitted to move in either direction on its supporting pin to A,the

` wall ofthe sleeve 3|, the pawl would become-engaged with-the'latching rib"2'|. For'examplaif the pawl 28 were not Yprovided with the 'lugsfZS Vor equivalentfmeans, .it would be possiblewhen the pin was transferred from a tilted position to a verticalpositionjfor the'paw128 vto be Avlatfched against the latching ribc2l, and then if pressure were-applied bythe i'lngeror equivalentmeans to the sleeve 3|,' the pawl'would'not bein'aevleased position andthe spring couldnot'm oye the cartridge `and the ball point in a jretraoted position. The lower endofthegpawl'istapered to asquare end and swings 'freely soastojgengage over'rthe upper surface'oftherib A21.. Y n

As will be seen vwhen thepen Vis held Aina vertic al position, p aw1j2 8 will hangivertically from'the Vand the' ballj point retracted. Whenjthe ball point M is proj'ectedby holding barrelfji `tightly-iff'vtlfie hand of the operator and pushing downwardly'jorn ythelouiston 131@ l.and the pen tilted to 'zapnri- 'mately'the posi-tion `shown in`Figf2, :the pawlf-Z will retain itsvertical ypositio'n'andengagethe upper vsurface of the 'rib 2'1-"and thereby latch or hold the writing point'in a protracted position for writing.

`It will be unclerstoodthat the balli point r-may be protracted while -the pen isv Vheldf'in a Atilted position at which time thegpawl 28 v'villfirrnmediately lock the ball point'in protracted positionlas soon jas the pawl-is able to engage overthe upper surface l of therib-2`|. It -will`thus`-be `clear that the ball point may be protractedfwhenthe pen is v'held `either vertically ori tilted. ll'lfn-normal uppersurface of the rib 21.

3 neutral operation, the fountain pen as shown in Fig. 1 with the point retracted, will be tilted to the position shown in Fig. 2, and then pressure will be applied against the sleeve 3l, and the writing point will then be protracted and stay protracted because of the engagement of the pawl 28 with the latching rib 2l. When it is desired to release the locking mechanism and retract the writing point, the pen is brought to aA substantially vertical position and a slight pressure is applied to the sleeve 3l whereupon the pawl 28 will disengage from the latchingv rib 2l whereupon when pressure on the sleeve 3l is released, the spring will retract the cartridge and thewriting point I4. v Y It is desired to point out that the lower end surface of the pawl 23vis at right angles to the major axis of the pawl to provide a dat surface so that said lower edge will firmly engage the *A Then, there is no danger of the pawl 28 slipping from the retaining rib 2'land allowing the point to be retracted, It is, therefore, clear that the pawl is provided with unbalancing means so that upon tilting of the pen barrel from the vertical, the pawl automatically swings or rocks on its pivot andengages its'cooperating'element, the latter coacting with the pawl to .hold the writing point in a protracted writing position. There is provided coacting means which are operative upon tilting of the barrel to hold the writing point in a protracted position, and inoperative to hold the point in its protracted position upon the barrel being held in a vertical position. It is desired to point out that the pawl 28 may be unbalanced by hav- ,ing the mass and/or weight of the pawl V'above the pivoting or rocking point of the pawl 28 greater 'than the'mass and/ or weight below the pivotlimit'transverse movement of the pawl on the pin.. The pawl 28 is preferably formed from a piece offsheet metal and, therefore, can be cheaply manufactured in quantity. The locking pawl when out of engagement with its cooperating rib member centralizes on the pin principally due to the weight of the locking pawl. The locking pawl then is in unlatched position to thereby permit' the pawl tip to be urged and inserted by th spring I1 into a retracted position Where it isy not available for writing purposes. What is claimed is:

1. In a pen, a barrel, a bushing including a rst portion having substantially the same out- .'side diameter as said barrel, said bushing being provided with ,a threaded interiora reduced di- .ameter vportion projecting from said first portion and snugly seated in said barrel, a second bushing provided vwith a threaded section arrangedin engagement with the threaded portion of said rst bushing, a cap snugly positioned over vsaid second bushing and embracing a portion of Aand provided with a plurality of segmentally shaped ears, the upper end of said cap being tapered inwardly and slidably receiving said sleeve,

a portion of said sleeve extending beyond said cap when said sleeve is respectively in a retracted or extended position, a collar mounted within said barrel and having its upper end abutting said sleeve, a cartridge Within said barrel and having its upper end projecting into said collar, the lower end of said barrel being tapered, a reduced tubular member extending from said cartridge and slidably mounted in the lower tapered portion of said barrel, said tubular member being provided with a writing element, and a coil spring circumposed on said tubular member; said pin being disposed above said rib; said sleeve, collar, cartridgaand writing element being slidably mounted for respective movement to their extended and retracted positions, said pawl engaging said rib in the ex-tended position of the writing element.` Y

2. In a pen, a barrel, a bushing including a first portion having substantially the same outside cliameter as said barrel, areduced diameter portion projecting from said first portion and snugly seated in said barrel, a second bushing provided with a section arranged in engagement with said first bushing, a cap snugly positioned on said second bushing and embracing a portion of said barrel, there being an opening in the .outer end of said cap, a sleeve extending through said opening and into said cap and provided with a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinally extending slots, a'pin extending through said slots and having its ends secured to said secondhbushing, said sleeve being provided with an inwardly extending rib of annular configuration, an unbalanced pawl mounted on said pin and provided with a plurality of segmentally shaped ears, the upper end of said cap being tapered inwardly and slidably receiving said sleeve, a portion of said sleeve extending beyond said cap when said sleeve is respectivelyv in a retracted and extended position, a collar mounted within said barrel and having its upper endabutting said sleeve, a Ycartridge within said barrel and having its upper end projecting into said collar, the lower end of said barrel being tapered, a reduced tubular member extending frorn said cartridge andslidably mounted in the lower tapered portion of said barrel, said tubular member being provided with a writing element and resilient means mounted on Y said tubular member; said pin being disposed above said rib; said sleeve, collar, cartridge, and writing element being slidably mounted for respective movement to said extended and retracted positions, said pawl engaging said rib inthe extended position of said writing element.

KARL WEISSER. DAVID KAHN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS l Date 

